China congress: Xi Jinping doubles down on zero-Covid as meeting opens

[BeBMan]

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-china-63226230

It's now "00-Covid"

The speech, which lasted less than two hours, was significantly shorter than his speech at the last congress in 2017.

Seriously, is there any argument for his zero-covid obsession other than "Xi did it, and doesn't want to u-turn now?" He seems to care more about this than about his economy. Would they quietly change course after he secured his 3rd term? Or are their vaccines so bad that they're afraid opening up would have a major health impact, and importing foreign stuff would be another embarassment?

[Geronimo]

Opening up will have a major health impact. It just seems obvious that the health impact and definitely the overall impact of the lockdowns is worse. I wonder what their long term plan is?

[Bereta_Eder]

Stop eating sh!t chinese


ni hao ma?

[Egbert]

Opening up will have a major health impact. It just seems obvious that the health impact and definitely the overall impact of the lockdowns is worse. I wonder what their long term plan is?

Perhaps the Chinese government, or Xi in particular, fear that reversing the zero covid strategy would be a "loss of face"?

[N35t0r]

That's one of the problems of despotic totalitarian regimes.

[Geronimo]

Perhaps the Chinese government, or Xi in particular, fear that reversing the zero covid strategy would be a "loss of face"?

instead of officially reversing course couldn't they just make up some face facing BS about adapting their strategy to the ever evolving virus and then de-facto reverse course anyway? Claim that the circulating variants are considerably less pathogenic and harder to control with lockdowns and unveil some new booster strategy or something?

[PLATO]

Once any chances of sedition are put down and all the purges of questionably loyal people are done after the meeting is done, then Xi declares victory over Covid and shows the world how brilliant he was with the strategy that "saved" the Chinese people. Briefly put, he is using this to further consolidate power. Why would he need to do this? To make sure there is little dissent to the tens of thousands that will die in the Taiwan War.

[Geronimo]

The problem is that the people will see this lock down hardship as a hardship inflicted by the government. That tends to lower the threshold for dissent rather than limit dissent or consolidate control.

[PLATO]

The problem is that the people will see this lock down hardship as a hardship inflicted by the government. That tends to lower the threshold for dissent rather than limit dissent or consolidate control.

True, but it will bring likely dissenters to the front before the real crisis. They can be more easily dealt with over a domestic policy in peacetime than a war policy in time of conflict. So...that was kind of my point....Get rid of the problems now before hostilities start.

[pchang]

Chinese Covid-19 vaccines appear to have a 55% effectiveness at best. Also, after the initial push, vaccination rates among the elderly and those in the countryside have stagnated. I believe 0-Covid is a big mistake and should be stopped, but China also needs to bring in foreign vaccines and really push them. Xi will do neither because it will make him look bad. Millions will suffer instead.

[PLATO]

Millions will suffer instead.

I kind of think this will be Xi's legacy...and for more reasons than a stupid try to save face Covid policy.

[BeBMan]

The party congress ended. One probably not too unimportant guy got escorted out. No idea why

[BeBMan]

Third term secured. :HappyXi: